The future of salmon in the Pacific Northwest is being jeopardized by foot-dragging on the part of the federal government, said Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber (D) in a speech Tuesday evening. In December 2000, the National Marine Fisheries Service decided against aiding salmon populations by breaching dams on the lower Snake River; instead, the agency called for restoring streams where salmon spawn, reforming hatchery practices to reduce harm to wild fish, and increasing fishing restrictions. But according to Kitzhaber, the government has failed to make good on that plan. As a result, he said, the Columbia River Basin could face the same kind of battle between farmers and enviros that befell the Klamath River Basin last year. Federal officials disputed Kitzhaber’s claims, saying the salmon recovery plan was on track.
